


A Dream, Right? Part 1 (SMB1)

by CullBear55



Series: Cullen in the Mario Universe [1]
Category: Super Mario & Related Fandoms
Genre: Being Lost, Confusion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:53:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22695847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CullBear55/pseuds/CullBear55
Summary: A young boy named Cullen wakes up in the Mushroom Kingdom. Trouble ensues.
Series: Cullen in the Mario Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1632472
Kudos: 1





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheKingOfKoopas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKingOfKoopas/gifts).



A boy was playing on his NES late at night. Super Mario Bros. displayed on screen, and the boy was smiling as he played. His name was Cullen. The child had managed to get Mario to World 5 in his quest to save Princess Peach. He only had 1 life left, but ran through the current level with little worry. He made a fatal mistake, however, and Mario plummeted into a pit. The death noise rung, and he whined. 

His mother came into the room as the screen read GAME OVER. “Now, Cullen… It’s getting late. Scoot off to bed!” 

The boy sighed. “But mom! I’m not even tired!” She folded her arms. “No buts, young man! You can play some more tomorrow!” 

Cullen sighed and nodded. He trotted over to the console, and powered it off, along with the TV. The boy hopped into bed, with his mother walking into his bedroom right behind him.   
She tucked her boy in, and gave him a peck on the forehead. “Sleep tight, Cullen!” 

The boy giggled and responded, “Will do, mom! I love you!” 

She smiled back. “I love you too, dear… Good night.” 

The mother walked lightly out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind herself. Cullen sighed, stretching out and grabbing his Mario plushie. He hugged it. 

“I wish you were real… Then we could go on adventures...” 

His mind grew foggy, and eyelids drew heavy. 

“...zzz…”


	2. Part 2

…

...Hmm... Cullen felt a sense of airiness to him in the darkness. His eyes were closed, and it felt as if though he was floating, before he suddenly sensed his back gently resting on a new surface. It was rougher, like… grass? He could hear birds chirping, and curiosity got the better of him. He creaked open his eyes. 

“...Woah...” 

Surrounding him was nothing but a field of grass, with mushrooms in varying sizes scattered about. 

“Where am I?” He asked to no one in particular. 

His eyes scanned the field, and a pink structure sat on the far end of it. As he focused more on it, he gasped. “Is this the Mushroom Kingdom?” 

The boy got up. “...That must be her castle…” 

Cullen began walking towards the pink structure. As he neared, he met small figures, just beneath his height. Their heads adorned similar mushrooms to those he saw in the field, only varied in color. They were all white with differing colors of red, green, blue, yellow, and fuchsia. 

“Where… am I?” Cullen asked a red mushroom figure. 

“The Mushroom Kingdom, silly!” 

Cullen’s eyes widened. ‘Woah… Really?! I gotta pinch myself! I must be dreaming!” 

The child pinched his hip, and flinched. He was still there. “No way...” He mumbled. 

The mushroom citizen looked at him, puzzled. “You’re new around here, aren’t you? You don’t look quite like a Toad.” 

“Is that what you are?” 

He got a nod as an answer before the fungus merrily continued. “I bet you’re a human! If you really want to, go see the Princess! She can help you out!” 

The Toad pointed to Peach’s Castle. Cullen nodded and gave thanks, before resuming walking to the Castle. His mind was racing. 

“This can’t be real… I was asleep in my bed! Now I’m here talking to mushroom people and living in the universe of my favorite game?!” 

His thoughts were interrupted as he bumped into a pair of doors. He blinked dumbfoundedly, and realized he was already there. Cullen took a deep breath, and exhaled steadily as he opened the Castle’s doors and entered. His eyes adjusted to the soothing light inside and he gasped. There she was on her throne, looking elegant and admiring her fellow citizens bustle about the main room. It was really her. Princess Peach. 

The Princess’ eyes flicked over to the Castle’s main entrance and stopped on the boy. Her mouth made an ‘O’ before she smiled warmly and waved. 

“Hello, there!” She greeted kindly. 

Cullen nervously walked further in and felt his face go warm. 

“H-hi.” 

“May I ask what your name is?” She calmly inquired. 

“...Cullen...” He mumbled shyly. 

She smiled even brighter. “That’s a wonderful name! What happens to bring you here?” 

Tears started pricking at his eyes. “I’m lost!” 

The Princess put on a pitied and worried face. “Oh dear… Well, you’re welcome here! I can help you find out where you need to go!” 

Cullen shook his head. “I don’t think I can go back...” 

Peach got off her throne and clasped the boy’s hands. His breathing hitched and he looked up at her. Her pure blue eyes bore into his brown ones. She was eerily reminiscent of Cullen’s mother, or at least... he thought so. Especially the way she tenderly handled him. 

“You’ll be alright. We can figure it out.” She whispered kindly. 

Cullen’s tears slowed and he sniffled, before hugging her. She was taken aback, but giggled, and returned the embrace. 

They removed themselves from the hug and Peach asked, “So where are you from?” 

He looked down. “I was asleep in my bed, but then I woke up in a field of mushrooms...” 

Peach looked perplexed. “...How strange...” 

Cullen nodded. “This place was nothing but fiction where I come from!” 

Peach tilted her head. “What do you mean?” 

Shoot. How could he explain it to her? It would be weird to say that he controlled a person in a game to see their world. 

“Well, it’s like a fairytale where I’m from,” He lied. 

She nodded. “I see...” 

Cullen’s eyes widened at the sudden realization that hit him. “Do you know of two people named Mario and Luigi?” 

Peach nodded. “Of course! They come to the Castle often for get togethers! They must be a part of the stories you know then?” 

Cullen nodded. Then a more sickening thought came to mind. He swallowed hard and asked, “What about a nasty person called… B-Bowser?” 

Peach’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of his name and she slowly nodded. “Y-yes… I’ve had to deal with him a few times before…” 

Cullen looked down in thought and was about to speak again, before the door was slammed open. A frightened pink Toad with pigtails was in the door frame. 

“Pr-princess!!!” She squeaked. 

Peach turned her attention to the female Toad worriedly. “What is it, Toadette?” 

“It’s horrible! I was playing in the fields with some other Toads when some of them suddenly turned to stone!” 

Peach gasped. Cullen’s stomach flipped. 

‘This is what happened in Super Mario Bros. 1!’ He yelled in his head. 

Peach recovered from the shock and asked Toadette, “Do you know who did this?” 

Toadette shook her head worriedly. “N-no! But I heard some other people saying it might be the Koopas!” 

Peach’s face hardened. “Of course… Bowser...” She groaned. 

Cullen looked up at her, realizing what was going on… He was living in their timeline. He grabbed her hand. “Princess...” 

Peach looked down at him with confusion. “Yes?” 

“W-we gotta go.” 

“Why?” 

“Because I know how this part of the story goes! Bowser’s gonna kidnap you!” 

Peach gasped, and the boy was about to pull her elsewhere, but the Castle erupted in violent vibrations. The Castle wall was blasted open. Peach and Toadette screamed. Cullen yelled in fright, too. As the debris cloud settled, Koopas and Goombas filed into the Castle. An airship floated outside, with cannons aimed at the Castle. 

Cullen’s eyes widened like saucers and he could only respond in thought. ‘Oh shoot.’ 

Behind the minions filing in, a larger form filled the hole in the wall. It’s monstrous form stomped into the Castle, with horns scraping along the makeshift entrance. Cullen froze up, looking at the hulking figure towering over himself and the girls. 

‘B-Bowser.’ His mind squeaked. 

The boy’s insides vibrated from the newcomers gruff voice. “Gwahahaha! Oh Peach! I’m back!~”

Peach angrily yelled, “Bowser! How dare you desecrate this place! You’re the one who is turning my civilians to stone, aren’t you?” 

Bowser gave her a fanged smile. “You better believe it, baby! Now c’mon! What do you say we get outta here and go back to Darklands to get married?” 

Peach had a look of disgust on her face. “As if! I’m staying here! And I demand that you leave!”

Bowser frowned, and his face hardened. “Sorry, Peach, but I’m the one in charge now! We are getting married, whether you like it or not!” 

The giant Koopa wrapped a large hand around the Princess’ arm, before pulling her to his side. He hoisted her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and she screamed in protest. Bowser guffawed. Cullen’s fear was being overthrown by anger. Courage started to emit from the boy.

“...L-let her go!” He yelled. 

Bowser’s boisterous laughter came to a screeching halt, and he looked down at the originating meek voice. Cullen’s courage was gone in an instant. He solidified under Bowser’s fierce red glare, and realized maybe picking a fight with the giant Koopa wasn’t such a good idea. Bowser growled in his throat. “Who the heck are you?” 

The boy stuttered. “I-I’m Cullen.” 

A sinister smile spread across the Koopa King’s face. “Well, kid… I’ll be taking Peach, and there’s nothing you can do about it! MINIONS!!!” 

The boy looked around, realizing the greater situation. Koopas and Goombas charged into him. 

“Aah! No!” 

Bowser chuckled, and sauntered out of the room with the Princess. He boarded the airship and took off. Cullen wailed under the swarm of sinister creatures, until a heavy blow from a Koopa’s shell connected with his head. Darkness… That’s all that was around the child again…


	3. Part 3

…

Cullen started to feel solidity around himself once more, and groaned. 

He cracked open his eyes. “Oooh… my head...” 

The boy clamped a hand on his head in agony. It felt like his brain was grinding against its skull. He slowly got up. Everything hurt. His body was battered and bruised. His breathing hitched when he saw Toadette. Or, rather, what was left of her. She was turned into a stony figure. The castle was in ruins. 

He felt tears prick at his eyes. ‘Th-this is all my fault! I should have acted sooner! Now the Kingdom is gonna fall into Bowser’s claws… A-and P-Peach...’ 

He gulped, just thinking about her fate. The tears dropped, and he fell back down to the floor in a kneeling position. He wanted to go home... 

As he cried, a voice resounded behind him. “Hey...” 

Cullen paused. Did he really hear that? He waited for the voice to continue, afraid of scaring it away. 

“Kid… What are you-a doing here?” 

Cullen noted the voice was masculine and had an italian accent. He slowly turned his head to the Castle’s blown-in entrance. The boy’s breathing caught in his throat. There in the entrance stood the man in red, with blue overalls. He wore a red hat with a big “M” on it… 

‘Mario…’ 

Cullen got up and nervously approached him mumbling, “She’s g-g-gone...” 

It hurt to think about her. He cried more, and gasped lightly when he felt the taller man embrace him in a hug. After a few seconds, the child eased into the embrace and sighed. As he looked over Mario’s shoulder, Cullen noticed the taller, thinner green brother worriedly standing a bit away. His hat had an “L” instead… 

‘Luigi…’ 

Mario broke the grim silence after Cullen calmed down enough. “...Come on… Let’s-a go…” 

The boy pulled lightly out of the hug and nodded. When leaving the Castle, Cullen explained who he was and that he didn’t know how he got to be in the Mushroom Kingdom. He told the two he thought he was just dreaming, but now, he could see that clearly was far from the case. As the trio walked down the desolate and ruined Toad Town, Cullen shivered. The air was warm, but to Cullen, without the bustling of Toads going about their lives, everything felt cold… like stone. 

He needed to ask, “What are you two gonna do?” 

Mario adjusted his hat, and responded, “I’m gonna save her. Luigi… Are you-a coming?” 

The leaner brother seemed to be trembling, but nodded. Mario smiled. “Alright… And as for you…” 

He faced Cullen as they walked onward. “Stay-a here. Hide in the Toad Huts.” 

Cullen shook his head. “No way! I-I gotta help!” 

Mario frowned and put a hand on the boy’s shoulder firmly. “Well I don’t want you-a getting hurt!” 

Cullen shook his head again, determinedly. “No, Mario! I’m going to help you two save Princess Peach. Even if you ditch me, nothing will stop me from trying! I won’t get hurt, I promise!” 

Mario had his mouth open to argue more, but then closed it and sighed. He decided it would be easier to just stop fighting because clearly he wasn’t going to change the child’s mind. 

The red plumber sighed submissively. “Fine… You-a can come along. But let us handle the dangers!” 

Cullen beamed and nodded vigorously. He eagerly followed between the two plumbers. As they ran the outskirts, they began encountering more and more Goombas and Koopas. Mario stomped on them all with ease, and Luigi would make occasional advances on scattered minions, kicking Koopa shells. Mario hit a ? block, and a Super Mushroom popped out. He grabbed it and, without even eating it, absorbed its energy, growing taller. Cullen gawked. He forgot that power-ups existed in the Kingdom. 

“That was amazing! Do you think those will work with me?” 

Mario chuckled, “I’m sure they would! You’re a human too, so why not?” 

The boy smiled, and tried bopping some bricks himself. Nothing came out of them. “Aww...”

Luigi put a hand on Cullen’s back. “We’ll find some more later. It’s okay… Power-ups are mostly in ? blocks, not bricks.” 

The younger plumber received a nod and an okay. They reached a large flagpole, and a little fort. 

Mario scowled at the Bowser face emblazoned on the flag, marking the territory. “Time to-a take it back!” The red plumber yelled. He jumped to the top of the flagpole, and grabbed the sinister flag, pulling it all the way down, and ripping it off. 

“Yeah!” Cullen cheered. 

Mario puffed out his chest pridefully. “Let’s-a keep going!” 

Luigi and Cullen nodded, following behind. 

A pipe loomed before them, going down into the ground. Mario ran into it, and his voice decrescendoed as he went deeper down the pipe. “Yahoooo!!!...” 

Cullen stared wide-eyed at the gaping darkness within the green tunnel. Luigi noted this and grabbed the younger boy’s hand. “H-hey… i-it’s not that scary after the first time… I’ll be with you.”

The kid smiled, and tightened his hand around the younger brother’s. “Th-thanks, Luigi… Well...” He gulped, “...let’s go!” 

As the two entered, Cullen couldn’t help but yell. He always had a fear of the dark. Now, it was even worse. It was somewhat cramped, and the helpless falling feeling made his stomach churn. The whole experience felt like he was getting sucked through a vacuum. Before he could protest any further, they already popped out the other side and landed with a thud. Mario was waiting expectantly, with two squished Goombas already at his feet. 

Cullen gaped at the surrounding area. “Woooaah...!” 

Mario and Luigi chuckled at his amazement. 

Mario’s voice resounded, “Just another amazing part of the Kingdom… The caverns really are-a something, huh?” 

Cullen nodded. 

He started walking forward. “C’mon guys! I wanna see more of the place!” 

Mario and Luigi jogged to catch up on both sides of him. Luigi punched a row of blocks overhead and a Mushroom slid out. 

“Gotcha!” The green plumber exclaimed as he snatched the red and white shroom. It made him grow, just like Mario. 

Cullen giggled. “I feel like an ant now!” 

Mario slapped him on the back playfully, but due to his increased size and strength, nearly knocked him over. 

The mustached man rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and said, “Haha! Sorry… You can get the next power-up!” 

Cullen hopped in joy. “Awesome! I’ll hold you guys to it then when we find another!” 

The brothers nodded and they advanced deeper into the cave system. Elevated and moving platforms rode above pits with nothing but darkness below. Cullen gulped, and watched as Mario charged forward. Mario made it to the other side with ease, and stopped by the pipe, to wait. The child clenched his fists and hopped on the first one moving in the up direction. He leaped onto the second one which tried descending him, before quickly leaping onto a brick ledge, hanging above the pipe leading up. 

Mario gaped, realizing the possibility of an alternate path. “Woah! Way to go Cullen! There’s a secret path up-a there, right?” 

Cullen nodded. “Yeah! I think it drops down into a different room! Come on guys!” 

He waved excitedly and Mario hopped back up against the platforms which tried taking him down. Luigi hastily followed after, nearly slipping on the second platform, but his older brother snagged him from the awful impending fate. The brothers sighed, and Cullen giggled. He walked ahead and looked down at where the path led. The room below was a simple open cube, with three pipes popping out. Each pipe had a respective sign, and Cullen’s curiosity got the better of him. He leapt down. Mario and Luigi gasped, and jumped down after him. 

Cullen examined a greater sign. “Hey, Mario…?” 

“Yes, Cullen?” 

“...What’s a ‘Warp Zone’?” 

The two plumbers’ pairs of eyes shot open and they looked up to read the sign. Sure enough, it read what the young boy asked. 

“Holy ravioli! We hit the jackpot, Cullen! This can help us get to Peach quicker!” 

Cullen’s eyes lit up with hope. “R-really?!” 

Mario nodded and examined the signs correlating to each pipe. The first one read (2), the second read (3), and the third read (4). 

Mario rubbed his chin in thought. “Hmm...Those numbers must mean distance… 4 should take us closest to Darklands! Yeah! Let’s-a go!” 

Mario leapt into the pipe and Cullen grabbed Luigi’s hand once again. 

“Welp… Hopefully it’s not as bad this time...” Cullen mumbled. 

They slid down the pipe, and like before, it felt like a vacuum sucked the boy along. However, this time, he couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease. It wasn’t honestly that bad apart from the occasional lurch as the pipe twisted in a new direction. 

Cullen saw light, before he was spat out. “Aah!” 

Mario caught him, as he shot out, and Luigi came out immediately after. Luigi landed clumsily, but still posed. Cullen clapped and Luigi rubbed the back of his head before bowing. The group looked around. They were in a brick fort. As they walked out, sunlight graced their faces. Cullen put a hand over his to try and shield his eyes until they adjusted. As his vision cleared out, he couldn’t help but notice that the land was somewhat colder, for real this time. The boy could see his breath, and he shivered as a response. 

Mario tugged on his hand. “C’mon… The quicker we get through here, the less you’ll-a be cold!” 

Cullen nodded shakily. “R-right! Let’s go guys!” 

As the three ran across the new land, Mario stomped on more Goombas and Koopas with precision. Luigi bopped another ? block, and this time, a flower emerged. The flower had eyes, a green stem, and was rimmed with an outer stripe of red, inner stripe of yellow, with a white center. 

The green plumber gestured to it like a prize. “Well here, you-a go, Cullen! A fire flower!” 

The child giggled and hopped up onto the block! “Th-thanks Luigi!” 

Cullen eyed the flower in wonder, before caressing it. 

As he did, a surge of warmth entered the boy, and his shirt’s blue stripes turned to red. “Woah! This feels… Awesome!” 

He hugged himself, soaking in his newfound warmth. 

Mario chuckled. “Make a throwing motion!” 

Cullen gave him a questioning glance, before remembering what Fire Flowers did. He imagined a baseball in his hand, and threw it. 

To the boy’s wonder, a fire ball filled where the baseball would’ve been, and it bounced along the ground. “Woooaahh, cool!” 

Mario and Luigi beamed. The kid really was enjoying himself. 

Mario tore the child out of his thoughts with the new-found power. “Now, Cullen… Use these powers with responsibility to protect yourself. If you-a get in harm’s way, you need to use what you’ve-a just gotten to help out. Oh and if you get hit, it’ll be-a gone, okay?” 

Cullen nodded, “Gotcha Mario! I’ll be responsible with it!” 

He hopped off the block and rejoined the brothers. They resumed walking, when a cloud appeared in the distance. It drew closer, and a Koopa-like figure poked out, wearing glasses. 

Luigi gasped and yelled, “Aah! A Lakitu! Run guys!” 

Mario grabbed Cullen’s hand and started rushing the group along. The Lakitu threw spiky objects down from above. One landed in front of the group and Cullen gasped as the spiky object shook. Out popped what looked like another variation of Koopa. 

“Spinies!” Mario groaned.

The red plumber jumped over the small spiky Koopa with ease. Cullen and Luigi followed suit. The spiny approached them, but they paid no mind to it as a literal greater threat loomed over head. The trio dashed onward, ignoring opposing Goombas and Koopas as the unrelenting Lakitu chased after. Finally, they reached the flagpole at the end of the area, and this time, Luigi was the one to tear off the Koopa King’s insignia. They moved past that fort, and saw another pipe leading into the ground. 

Luigi sighed. “A-another underground area?” 

Cullen cheerily replied, “Hey, c’mon! There might be another Warp Zone!” 

Mario nodded excitedly. “Right! So let’s-a go!” 

The three entered and popped out into the dank, dark cavernous system below. A wide black pit loomed below, and a thin pillar jutted out of the darkness for them to land on midway, before jumping the rest of the way across. Cullen gulped when it was his turn, and launched himself onto it. His acceleration proved to be nearly too much as he waved his arms in a windmill motion to try and balance. Thankfully, the boy recovered, and hopped to safe, intact land on the other side with Luigi waiting. Mario hopped over easily from behind, and they continued.   
Three Goombas tried attacking the trio in the narrow cavernous hall, but Cullen threw some fireballs, eliminating any threat that was posed. 

Mario nudged his shoulder as they neared another moving platform. “Well, Cullen? Do you-a think there might be any secrets here?” 

Cullen stroked his chin, thoughtfully, thinking back to when he played the game. “Hmm… Oh! I got an idea! You guys stay here!” 

The brothers shared a questioning glance, before nodding. Cullen jumped onto the elevated platform, and then to the other side. He looked up and punched at the air. His fist connected with something invisible to the naked eye. An invisible block! A coin popped out, but the child was interested in finding more of the blocks. He punched the air around the block he had revealed, to find three more. All four invisible blocks had been laid out underneath a few brick blocks in a row.   
“Perfect...” Cullen smiled to himself and jumped onto the once invisible blocks and busted the bricks above with his newfound strength of the Fire Flower. One didn’t break however. A vine shot out of it, and smashed through the cavern sealing. 

“Yes!!!” Cullen cheered. 

Mario and Luigi had their eyes wide open. 

“Wow, Cullen! How did you-a know?!” Luigi asked incredulously. 

Cullen shrugged and lied. “I had a feeling in my gut!” 

The brothers hopped over to the child, and Luigi patted him on the back. Cullen giggled. They all shimmied up the vine. As they reached the surface, Cullen gasped in amazement. The view was amazing! They seemed to be in a mushroom gorge. Tons of giant mushrooms were scattered about the place, with enough strength to hold people walking on them. A blocky staircase caught Mario’s eye. He hopped up it skillfully, waving for Luigi and Cullen to follow along. They did as he asked, and a familiar room resided below them. Three pipes with a sign for each was planted in it. 

Mario jumped joyously. “Yippee! Hang on Princess! We’re-a coming!” 

The red plumber hopped down, with his green brother and newfound younger friend following after. 

Mario scanned the pipes quickly. “(6)...(7)...(8)... Let’s-a take number eight!” 

Cullen nodded, and leapt into the pipe after Mario, with Luigi close behind. The all too familiar sucking motion swept them through the pipe and, yet again, into another fort.


	4. Part 4

The trio of heroes recuperated in the new fortress. Cullen stretched, and looked out of the fort’s door. He gasped at what he saw on the horizon. Mario and Luigi poked their heads out as well. The sky on the horizon was a sinister shade of red, and the sky directly overhead was violet colored. 

Mario grabbed Cullen by the shoulders. “Now, Cullen… Where we are about to-a go is extremely dangerous… You’re-a sure you want to-a do this?” 

The child looked down in thought. He looked back up and nodded, with a fierce determination in his eyes. 

Mario worriedly sighed, but then looked at the boy straight-on and smiled. “Alright… Let’s-a go out there, then!” 

The trio of heroes charged out into Bowser’s home territory. Minions were everywhere. Bullet bills shot by, and Cullen couldn’t help but pant as they ran through through. A lakitu was dropping Spinys, but the group paid little mind. Surprisingly, they made it through. As they jumped off of the blocky staircase onto the flagpole, Cullen snatched Bowser’s flag, ripping it off. 

“Phew! That was intense!” The child exclaimed, wiping his brow. 

Mario nodded. They entered the fort and rested a bit, before charging back into the fray. The next area contained a huge line of blocks overhead, with a trampoline. Cullen bounced on the trampoline, and bopped the block directly above it. A green mushroom popped out, and the Mario brothers gasped in surprise. 

“Grab it, Cullen! It’s-a 1-up Mushroom!” Luigi exclaimed. 

The boy nodded rapidly, and charged after the moving mushroom from below. He jumped over little pits, ran under paratroopas, and bounced on bullet bills, until the brick line above him ran out. He jumped and snatched the green fungus that fell. Upon making contact with the mushroom, it dissolved into his body. 

Suddenly, the child felt very lively, and turned around to see the plumbers catch up. “So, what does that mushroom do? I didn’t grow bigger…” 

Mario explained, “It-a gives you an extra life!” 

Cullen’s eyes widened. “R-really?” 

The two plumbers nodded, and Cullen beamed. “Wow! That’ll be helpful for what’s ahead!” 

Mario agreed, and they re-embarked. They ran through the rest of the area with relative ease, except for one risky jump across a deep pit. Cullen nearly fell in, but instinctively kept moving. In the end, the area was reclaimed by the triumphant heroes. Beyond that, the area ahead was an intimidating, seemingly endless wall of interconnected fortresses. At the center of all the forts was a far bigger, more imposing structure. Its giant dome of a roof had what looked like a Koopa shell, but it was spiked, much like the one Cullen saw the Koopa King wearing. 

He gulped and mumbled, “That must be where Peach is...” 

Mario and Luigi nodded, and the red plumber exclaimed, “Let’s-a go!” 

As they ran deeper into the territory, a different type of Koopa appeared. It looked like the same old ones they’d come across so many times before, but now it adorned a helmet and held a hammer. 

“A H-Hammer Bro...” Luigi gulped. 

The Hammer Brother chucked the hammer through the air and Luigi yelped, stumbling back as the hammer landed where he once was. 

“Hey!” Cullen yelled angrily to the Koopa. 

The boy threw a fireball at the minion. The underling looked at him curiously, before a look of shock overthrew his facial expression. He was engulfed in flames by the ball, turning into a coin. 

“Hmph!” Cullen nodded to himself satisfactorily and looked to Luigi, making sure that the timid brother was alright. 

After that was established, they proceeded once again. As they ventured the rest of the way into the Koopa King’s domain, Cullen had to fry 4 more Hammer Brothers who got in the heroes’ ways. Finally, they reached the flagpole at the end, and Mario snagged it with a well precise jump. 

The three stood in silence at the looming, seemingly final challenge that resided ahead of them. Bowser’s Castle. They all took steady breaths, before finalizing their decision. The grand entrance door groaned as it shifted open. Mario looked around. 

“The coast is-a clear… Come on!” He mumbled urgently. 

Luigi nodded and pulled Cullen cautiously along next to him. The boy wanted to protest, but decided not to. They needed to be quiet, afterall. Sneaking through the Castle was quite easy, yet Cullen couldn’t help but wipe his forehead occasionally. The building was sweltering! They popped out of a pipe, and a hammer brother was quick to try to attack the intruders. Cullen quickly rolled as a hammer met the stone floor he once rested on, cracking it upon impact. The boy pointed his finger at the aggressive minion, and shot a fireball from it. The minion turned into a coin, and Cullen sighed in relief as Mario helped him up. Giant fireballs were being shot out from the room ahead. They were much larger than the ones Cullen could cast. 

He gulped. “Do… Do you think he’s in there?” 

Mario and Luigi exchanged glances, and nodded. 

Mario firmly commanded, “Stay behind Luigi… This is gonna get-a ugly!” 

They hopped over the pit of lava and landed in front of the new room. Cullen gasped. Sure enough, on the bridge above another pool of lava, resided the Koopa King. The King looked furious, and roared in fury at the intruders. The walls reverbated, and Cullen couldn’t help but clamp his hands to his ears in fright. Luigi got in front of him, and Mario charged in. Bowser chucked huge hammers much like his hammer brother minions, and the heroes hastily dodged them. The bridge rocked dangerously, but the four were too busy focusing on their opposing sides to worry. Bowser jumped and shot fireballs in his fit of rage. Mario took this opportunity to his advantage and slid underneath the giant Koopa, passing to his back side. On the other side of the bridge, Mario spotted an axe. 

“Get-a off the bridge!” Mario yelled to his partners. 

Luigi nodded, and yanked Cullen back to the room’s entrance. Bowser turned around in a flustered confusion, and his pupils shrank as he realized his error. Mario swung the axe down on the chains supporting the bridge, and the path across snapped downward into the lava below. Bowser clawed at the air, like he could grab onto something, before ultimately falling into the pit of intense heat below. Cullen flinched and tucked his face into Luigi’s chest. He was a little squeamish about seeing someone melt alive. Luigi helped shield him as the Koopa King roared in agony. Moments later, all was silent.

…

“Yahoo!” Mario cheered. 

Luigi clapped for his brother and Cullen slowly recovered from his fright. 

“It’s… over?” He asked with hope. 

Luigi nodded, and a dainty voice emitted from Mario’s side. “...Mario…?” 

The red plumber turned around and beamed at the sight. It was the Princess! She was seemingly placed in the empty room for holding until the fight between Bowser and the heroes concluded. 

“Princess!” Mario exclaimed, hopping down into the room, before bowing to her. 

She giggled, and leaned down to him, before pecking the plumber lightly on his nose. Mario turned beet red and rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. 

“Thank you! You’re my hero!” Peach cordially stated. 

Mario sheepishly laughed. “It-a wasn’t quite all of me!” 

He held a hand out for her to take, and guided Peach out of the room to where the bridge once was. Peach looked across the lava pit and gasped, seeing not just Luigi, but Cullen. 

“It’s that boy!” She exclaimed. “He really helped save me?” 

Mario nodded. Peach eyed the child in wonder, before looking at the destroyed path back across. “Oh dear… Here… Now that Bowser can’t cap my magic…” 

The Princess held out her hands, with her palms aimed forward. A beautiful, pure beam shot out of her hands, and a pink pathway was formed. She walked forward with Mario and safely made it back across the lava pit. She thanked Luigi and Cullen as well, and the four exited the Castle with ease, following the route that was taken in. 

The youngest quizzically looked up at the blonde woman. “S-so… What about the Toads? They were all turned into stone!” 

Peach calmly looked down at him. “I can take care of it now... Without Bowser interfering, my magic can restore them back to normal!” 

Cullen had a shocked expression, but it changed to happiness quite quickly. “Awesome!!!”

Peach giggled and took a few steps away from the others. With great effort, she channeled a deeper energy around her abdomen, and her gloved hands began to glow with a pink aura. Her body lifted slowly off the ground as the energy built. She exclaimed as the energy was released up into the air. The pink spread like a mist, and grew, spreading, as far as the four could see. Then, just like that, the pink mist dissolved. Peach slowly floated back down, dizzily, and Mario caught her. He helped her stand upright, and she thanked him for it. 

“That’s it then, huh? Mushroom Kingdom is saved?” Cullen asked.

Peach nodded woozily. “Yes… Now, let’s go home!” 

The trio of heroes cheered and escorted Peach back to Toad Town. Toads had resumed their daily living, and cheered upon seeing her re-arrival. The Kingdom was at peace once again. 

As Mario and Luigi waved goodbye to let her settle back in, Cullen turned to her in fearful confusion. “P-princess… I’m still here...” 

Peach blinked, before realizing what he meant. “Oh! That’s right! You have to get home!” 

Cullen nodded sadly. 

Peach had an upset look on her face. “I’m sorry, Cullen… I don’t know how to get you back.” 

Cullen’s breathing hitched. “N-no… I-I gotta get back!” 

Tears started running down his face. Peach’s heart ached, and she comforted the boy. “I know you do...” 

She firmly continued. “...But until then, you need somewhere to stay... I’ll let you live in Toad Town.” 

Cullen sniffled, back up, and wiped his nose. “R...Really?” 

Peach nodded, and clasped his hand. “C’mon… Everything will be alright!” 

Cullen now nodded before slowly smiling. He finalized his thoughts. ‘Maybe this won’t be so bad after all… Until then, I wanna protect the Kingdom, just like Mario and Luigi!’

The End...?


End file.
